The Coordinator, Operation Safe Corridor (OPSC), Brig.-Gen. Yusuf Ali, has denied the claims that repentant Boko Haram terrorists under the De-radicalisation, Rehabilitation and Integration (DRR) programme are being recruited by the military, armed, mobilised and deployed for combat operations.

The Coordinator was reacting to a widely circulated video by a Danish blogger, Jones Raw, alleging that “repentant and active Boko Haram terrorists are being armed to fight alongside the Nigerian military”, saying that the claim is false, misleading, and entirely unfounded.

He said the Danish blogger, Jones Raw, and the individuals that featured in the video “are not known to, nor have they ever been associated with, or granted access to the OPSC facility, rendering the claims not only inaccurate but deliberately misleading”.

Ali said: “For clarity, it is important to state that there are several state-led De-radicalization, Rehabilitation, and Reintegration (DRR) initiatives across the country which operate independently and are not under the control or supervision of the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) or Defence Headquarters (DHQ).

“Individuals processed through such state-level arrangements are not recognized as participants within the DHQ-led Operation SAFE CORRIDOR framework. This distinction is critical in addressing the misinformation being circulated.

“Furthermore, the facility depicted in the video is not an OPSC DRR Camp. The officially designated OPSC facility responsible for handling Boko Haram participants is located in Mallam Sidi, Gombe State, and operates as a secured and controlled military environment. The location shown in the video is clearly inconsistent with the OPSC facility, based on observable differences in structural design, layout, and operational setting.”

He said Operation SAFE CORRIDOR remains a strictly non-kinetic, multi-agency programme, designed to facilitate the de-radicalisation, rehabilitation, and reintegration of carefully screened and profiled individuals.

The Coordinator said that upon completion of the programme, participants are formally handed over to relevant state authorities for reintegration and remain within established monitoring frameworks, adding that the programme continues to serve as a critical component of Nigeria’s counter-terrorism strategy by reducing the pool of fighters, encouraging voluntary disengagement, and supporting long-term national stability.

He said that OPSC operates with the engagement and support of reputable international partners as the continued involvement of the partners, including the European Union, of which Denmark, the country of the said blogger, is a member, underscores the programme’s compliance with international standards, transparency, and adherence to global best practices.

“Given the potential of such false narratives to undermine national security efforts and erode public confidence, OPSC considers it necessary to address this matter decisively.

“Accordingly, the originator of the claim, Jones Raw, and any interested and credible observers are invited to a formally coordinated and monitored visit to the OPSC DRR Camp in Mallam Sidi, to be facilitated in conjunction with OPSC’s international partners, where the facts can be independently verified.”

He said OPSC remains committed to transparency, professionalism, and the effective execution of its mandate rooted in non-kinetic efforts towards ensuring national security and sustainable peace.